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Irish Independent
09-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
Best friend makes urgent plea for Waterford mum with chronically ill baby boy
Baby Billy's severe condition has meant that he has not left hospital since being born in December 2023 and mum Rebecca Dalton has barely left either. Having been diagnosed with a rare genetic syndrome, baby Billy will need specialist care and an adapted home to leave hospital, while Rebecca is currently unable to leave his side to return to work, with bills mounting up. To support her best friend, Rachel Byrne has set up an online fundraising campaign, describing her friend's situation as 'heartbreaking'. 'She doesn't get out of the hospital much at all,' she added. 'Only very, very rarely. Since he's been in the hospital for 17 months now, she's actually only been out of the hospital twice overnight. And that was down to her home place.' Rachel told that she and Rebecca are old friends going back ten years or more to their days working in Waterford's Tower Hotel together. Rachel said they are still waiting to get home help for Rebecca and Billy, and more tests are pending. 'They are just waiting for results, until she knows more it's up in the air each week. There are always setbacks,' she said. Billy was born premature at 32 weeks on December 8, 2023. He was transferred to Crumlin after three days in Waterford University Hospital. Billy has been diagnosed with Noonan Syndrome, a rare genetic syndrome that affects many parts of the body. He has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, pulmonary valve stenosis and a hole in his heart. Between December, 2023, and March, 2024, Billy suffered from cardiac arrest and respiratory arrest on three difference occasions, he was intubated numerous times, until the doctors came to the decision that he would need a tracheostomy. Billy was in ICU up until this point. Billy received his tracheostomy in April of 2024 and was transferred to the Transitional Care Unit. Multiple infections, including sepsis, viral respiratory infections and bacterial infections, have caused him to have many setbacks, resulting in him going up and down to ICU a further six times from May to November last year. In August of 2024 Billy underwent surgery for a PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) because of his feeding issues. Due to oral aversions and gut dysmotility this was a much needed surgery. 'But since, his gut issues have not subsided and it is what's keeping them in hospital at the moment,' said Rachel. 'They are looking at a further three plus months in hospital. 'Billy has not had the chance to have a normal start in life and has spent almost 17 months in hospital so far, and they are desperate to get home. 'Billy will need a full-time carer which means for the foreseeable Rebecca will not be able to return to work. She is Billy's sole carer.' Rachel said it's 'not looking great' on Thursday this week, as they are waiting on nurses at the moment to help Rebecca and Billy. 'She needs nurses to stay in the home in Waterford. That's why we've set up this GoFundMe. She was given a special house down in Waterford that will accommodate Billy when they do move home. 'She pays bills for that house now, and then she has to fully furnish it. Then she has to get all the machines that Billy is going to need. She will need proper equipment to set her up. 'She's also paying for the Ronald McDonald house that she's staying in every week as well. They supply food – they cook dinners, but she just stays in the hospital 24/7. She has to be there.' Still, Rebecca, is 'over the moon' that the campaign has raised over €2,100 in donations so far. "She was really struggling there,' she said. 'Her head was over the water, she really didn't know what she was going to do.' Rachel's fundraising campaign is available to donate at by searching for 'Rebecca and Billy'.
Sydney Morning Herald
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
Federal election 2025 LIVE updates: Dutton pledges $40b debt cut; Albanese campaigns in Perth
Latest posts Latest posts 6.21am Dutton's drive-by: Opposition leader hits Kooyong, no questions allowed Rachael Dexter On Wednesday night Opposition Leader Peter Dutton made a rare appearance in the seat of Kooyong, joining Liberal candidate Amelia Hamer at the Tower Hotel in Hawthorn East — a venue that has become known for its vocal anti-Monique Ryan campaigning with an enormous anti-Monique Ryan sign mounted on the pub. It marked just his second visit to the seat the Liberals are eager to win back. Despite the significance of the visit, the man hoping to become prime minister did not take questions from the media. This masthead was present when Dutton arrived at the venue, delayed by anti-nuclear protesters stationed outside the pub and dressed in hazmat suits. I attempted to approach Dutton to ask several questions — most pressingly, for his response to reports of neo-Nazis impersonating Liberal campaigners in Kooyong, which dominated local headlines yesterday. However, a media advisor from Dutton's office informed me that questions would not be permitted, as the event was not a press conference. It appears media attendees were invited solely for photos and vision, with no opportunity to engage the opposition leader directly. The visit to Kooyong was part of a broader blitz across Melbourne's marginal seats, with Dutton also stopping in Dunkley and Aston on Wednesday. After one of the most dramatic days in Kooyong, the opposition leader came, smiled, and left — all without taking a single question. Follow our Victorian hot seats blog here. 6.21am Albanese outlasts Whitlam Anthony Albanese on Wednesday marked a small victory - surpassing Gough Whitlam's time in office. The Prime Minister said he was determined to become a leader with a long legacy. 'The problem [with Whitlam] was that yes he introduced Medibank, but he wasn't there long enough and a lot of his reforms disappeared,' Albanese said, as he ducked and weaved volunteers around the local polling booth. 'A long term Labor government, like [under] Bob Hawke, his reforms entrenched a lot of change.' One woman lining up to vote told Albanese as she shook his hand that she 'believed in his values'. 'It's all about that, what you say, no one left behind and no one held back,' she said. Albanese quipped that she had evidently watched his National Press Club address earlier that day. 6.20am Mixed bag for PM's arrival in WA Jeers and adulation greeted the prime minister as he made a wicked blitz to the west on Wednesday evening. Fresh off a speech in the nation's capital, Albanese has soared across the country to court voters at a pre-polling booth in the Perth suburb of Midland. Shoulder-to-shoulder with two local candidates the group took to a voting centre which borders the crucial seats of Hasluck and Bullwinkel. Things got off to their usual start with the prime minister cooing at five-and-half-month -old Annabelle as mum Kyra lined up to cast her vote. But the situation quickly devolved. Liberal volunteers began yelling 'keep the sheep', kicking off a chain reaction of chants from party supporters. Labor's army began repeating their party name, prompting one Greens supporter to yell 'stop AUKUS'. Though voters remained relatively unfazed. 'It's an enormous privilege to meet you,' David Leith said as Albanese greeted queuing locals. 6.20am Good morning By Angus Delaney Good morning and thank you for joining our live coverage of the election campaign. There's just two more sleeps until polling day! My name's Angus Delaney and I'll be helming the blog into the afternoon.
The Age
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Federal election 2025 LIVE updates: Dutton pledges $40b debt cut; Albanese campaigns in Perth
Latest posts Latest posts 6.21am Dutton's drive-by: Opposition leader hits Kooyong, no questions allowed Rachael Dexter On Wednesday night Opposition Leader Peter Dutton made a rare appearance in the seat of Kooyong, joining Liberal candidate Amelia Hamer at the Tower Hotel in Hawthorn East — a venue that has become known for its vocal anti-Monique Ryan campaigning with an enormous anti-Monique Ryan sign mounted on the pub. It marked just his second visit to the seat the Liberals are eager to win back. Despite the significance of the visit, the man hoping to become prime minister did not take questions from the media. This masthead was present when Dutton arrived at the venue, delayed by anti-nuclear protesters stationed outside the pub and dressed in hazmat suits. I attempted to approach Dutton to ask several questions — most pressingly, for his response to reports of neo-Nazis impersonating Liberal campaigners in Kooyong, which dominated local headlines yesterday. However, a media advisor from Dutton's office informed me that questions would not be permitted, as the event was not a press conference. It appears media attendees were invited solely for photos and vision, with no opportunity to engage the opposition leader directly. The visit to Kooyong was part of a broader blitz across Melbourne's marginal seats, with Dutton also stopping in Dunkley and Aston on Wednesday. After one of the most dramatic days in Kooyong, the opposition leader came, smiled, and left — all without taking a single question. Follow our Victorian hot seats blog here. 6.21am Albanese outlasts Whitlam Anthony Albanese on Wednesday marked a small victory - surpassing Gough Whitlam's time in office. The Prime Minister said he was determined to become a leader with a long legacy. 'The problem [with Whitlam] was that yes he introduced Medibank, but he wasn't there long enough and a lot of his reforms disappeared,' Albanese said, as he ducked and weaved volunteers around the local polling booth. 'A long term Labor government, like [under] Bob Hawke, his reforms entrenched a lot of change.' One woman lining up to vote told Albanese as she shook his hand that she 'believed in his values'. 'It's all about that, what you say, no one left behind and no one held back,' she said. Albanese quipped that she had evidently watched his National Press Club address earlier that day. 6.20am Mixed bag for PM's arrival in WA Jeers and adulation greeted the prime minister as he made a wicked blitz to the west on Wednesday evening. Fresh off a speech in the nation's capital, Albanese has soared across the country to court voters at a pre-polling booth in the Perth suburb of Midland. Shoulder-to-shoulder with two local candidates the group took to a voting centre which borders the crucial seats of Hasluck and Bullwinkel. Things got off to their usual start with the prime minister cooing at five-and-half-month -old Annabelle as mum Kyra lined up to cast her vote. But the situation quickly devolved. Liberal volunteers began yelling 'keep the sheep', kicking off a chain reaction of chants from party supporters. Labor's army began repeating their party name, prompting one Greens supporter to yell 'stop AUKUS'. Though voters remained relatively unfazed. 'It's an enormous privilege to meet you,' David Leith said as Albanese greeted queuing locals. 6.20am Good morning By Angus Delaney Good morning and thank you for joining our live coverage of the election campaign. There's just two more sleeps until polling day! My name's Angus Delaney and I'll be helming the blog into the afternoon.
